Background
Growing up, Uglydoll creators Sun-Min and David were big fans of tokusatsu (special effects) television shows. These programs often featured kaiju characters. Now, they want to honor those memories with a line of Japanese kaiju figures.
With the Uglydoll Kaiju line, several of our favorite Ugly characters are returning to rotocast vinyl form. Produced by Intheyellow, the first figure released is one of the most popular – Ice Bat.
Packaging
Like most kaiju lines, the Ice-Bat Kaiju figure comes bagged with a header card. It’s placed within two bags, so the figure isn’t rubbing up against the backing card.
The Figure
The Ice-Bat Kaiju stands approximately 6" in height and has one point of articulation (the neck). While we are looking at version #1 – Clear Blue – there are several different colorways available.
The rotocast vinyl piece is produced by Intheyellow in Japan. If you have never seen or felt Japanese vinyl, it’s high-quality stuff. Much softer. The figure has sculpted scales (similar to most kaiju figures) and has spray painted silver details. The Clear Blue version of Ice-Bat is limited to a run of 200 pieces.
Our Opinion
It’s great seeing the Uglydolls returning to rotocast vinyl. And by making them in Japan, David and Sun-Min have assured us of a high-quality product.
Essentially, they’ve designed Ice-Bat as if he was a kaiju character in a Godzilla flick. I think he’d be able to hold his own. And if you’ve seen the Wage design, you’ve probably realized that they are not meant to be exact replicas of their plush counterparts.
And speaking of that, the Ice-Bat Kaiju really isn’t made for the same demographic as the plush. There are some awfully pointy edges, especially the ears, and it’s recommended for ages 15 and up.
You can pick one up at the following:
Kung Fu Toys: $69.95
Strangekiss: $74.95
Tenacious Toys: $85.00
Yoyashop: $74.95
Ice-Bat Kaiju Grades:
Quality: 10/10
Paint: 9/10
Packaging: 7/10
Durability: 8/10
Hype: 9/10
Fun Factor: 8/10
Value: 7/10
Overall: 9.3/10
Have this figure? What do you rate it?
